A large fire that broke out on Monday, 8 December has destroyed a processing plant owned and operated by Aquashell in Wallace, Nova Scotia, Canada.
According to a CBC report, the fire was reported just after 10 a.m. on 8 December, and eight fire departments responded to the scene. No injuries have been reported associated with the fire.
The Wallace Volunteer Fire Department, in a post on its Facebook page, said weather conditions caused the fire to rapidly expand to consume the whole building.
“This fire went from an investigation call to a full engulfed commercial structure fire within 15 minutes. We are extremely lucky the homes and community hall only received smoke damage across the road,” the department said. “Our members responded in extremely cold and windy conditions, fought icy roads and frozen equipment.”
Wallace Volunteer Fire Department Chief Tom Flynn told the CBC the strong winds made it extremely difficult to fight the fire.
"There was no stopping it, so it was just very much defensive [firefighting] trying to keep it from spreading anywhere else," he said.
Other lobster companies, local officials, and municipalities called the loss of the facility a blow to the community.
“The Aquashell plant has been a mainstay of the economy of north shore area of Cumberland County for decades. To lose a business and to lose these jobs is truly heartbreaking for all, particularly at this time of year,” Municipality of Cumberland Mayor Rod Gilroy said in a release. “We have asked the Cumberland Business Connector to reach out to the company to offer its support to the company and employees in the days ahead.”
Chase Lobster Ltd., based in nearby Pugwash, Nova Scotia, called the fire a “stark reminder of how quickly life can change.”
“Our hearts go out to the management and staff as they begin to navigate toward the next chapter. They are our friends and neighbors, and we’ll support them in any way we can,” the business said.
